The first time it happened Hakyeon hadn’t thought much of it. It was during their trainee days a few months before debut after another grueling, seemingly never-ending night in their lime green walled practice room. After five hours Hakyeon had finally called practice to an end, the other members dropping to the ground in their sweat-soaked, exhausted states, more than willing to just sleep right there on the floor if not for the motherly leader ushering them up and insisting they needed a good night’s rest back in their beds.

While the younger members left for their dorm, chatting excitedly about their upcoming debut, Hakyeon stayed behind to clean up the scattered wrappers and plastic bottles from their convenience store run in the middle of practice. He hadn’t expected to hear someone softly clearing their throat behind him, “Oh! Taekwoon, you startled me!”

Hakyeon gave a light chuckle as he discarded the trash in the bin in the corner, smiling at his same aged friend, “Waiting to walk me home since it’s late and dangerous for someone as pretty as me to be out alone?”

Taekwoon just scoffed at the remark, as Hakyeon expected he would, but offered no other alternative to why he had been lingering. It didn’t bother Hakyeon, knowing Taekwoon often did things for reasons no one really understood. Since he had finished up, Hakyeon shut off the lights and made sure the automatic lock to the building clicked into place behind them.

His arm slipped through Taekwoon’s once outside and he ignored the tensing he felt as they walked through the quiet, dimly lit backstreets of Seoul. It was spring but the night had a slight chill to it and Hakyeon appreciated the warmth of Taekwoon next to him even if the appreciate wasn’t mutual. Hakyeon was first to break the silence, “You know Taekwoonie, your dancing has really improved!”

Hakyeon had noticed how Taekwoon was able to command more control over those exceeding long limbs he had, able to find his placement and position, his body in sync with the rest of the team. Jaehwan on the other hand...there was still room for improvement.

The silence that followed didn’t surprise Hakyeon; more often than not Hakyeon ended up talking to himself when he was with Taekwoon. What did surprise him was the small hint of pink he saw creeping into the high contours of Taekwoon’s cheeks as he smiled up at him, Taekwoon’s gaze focused straight ahead on the road. Hakyeon couldn’t recall having seen Taekwoon ever blush before, his face always hidden behind large hands whenever he felt any sort of embarrassment. The rosy color was adorable, but Hakyeon didn’t say anything for fear of the violent retaliation he would likely face if he did.

It didn’t stop Hakyeon from complimenting Taekwoon whenever he got the chance though, whether it be on a particularly challenging note Taekwoon had managed to hit during vocal training or when it was Taekwoon’s night to cook dinner and he, like always, chose to boil ramyun. Taekwoon found the latter absolutely unnecessary, unable to believe that his packaged ramen was “the best Hakyeon had ever tasted.” However, each time those sweet words floated into his ears like a delightful melody Taekwoon was unable to help the pink brushing across his cheeks or coloring the tips of his ears.

Hakyeon never expected anything back from the compliments, simply giving them because Taekwoon’s reactions were enough of a present, and he did mean each of them genuinely. Ok, maybe it wasn't exactly the best ramen Hakyeon ever had but it was still tasty.

-☆--☆--☆-

Even with the amount of time they had known each other Taekwoon was still a quiet mystery and another surprise came a couple months after Hakyeon’s little game had started and he felt Taekwoon pressing a small piece of paper into his hand after practice one night. Unfolding the note as if it were a delicate flower whose brittle petals could crumble to dust if handled too roughly, Hakyeon read the scratchy handwriting hidden inside: “Thank you”.

“Oh! What’s that? Did Taekwoonie-hyung give you a love letter?” Sanghyuk's voice piped up right next to Hakyeon’s ear, trying to peek over Hakyeon’s shoulder to read. It wasn’t difficult to do, Sanghyuk was growing at a rapid rate, already threatening to be taller than his hyungs.

“Ya!” Hakyeon quickly folded the note and stuck it into the pocket of his sweatpants, playfully elbowing the giant maknae away, “That’s none of your business.”

Jaehwan was still doing his voice lesson but Wonshik and Hongbin had overheard the slight commotion, immediately chasing after Taekwoon, who had quickly departed after handing over the note, to interrogate him.

“Sanghyuk, leave Taekwoon alone!” Hakyeon scolded but Sanghyuk had already bounded off after Wonshik and Hongbin, Hakyeon sighing as Jaehwan came out from the practice room, resting his arm around Hakyeon’s shoulder, “What’s the matter, Hakyeonie-hyung?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.” Hakyeon offered a reassuring smile to Jaewhan who accepted it without question, knowing he’d be able to tell in Hakyeon’s expression if it was a bigger issue, “You owe me a banana milk, come on!”

Once back to the dorm and sipping cheerfully on his banana milk, Hakyeon dug out an old shoebox from his closet. Taking out the note, he smoothed the rumpled edges from when it had been stuffed it into his pocket before setting it inside and replacing the lid. The box was put back in his closet under a pile of dirty workout clothes Hakyeon knew the other members wouldn’t go spying through. It was the first note and he hoped it wouldn’t be the last.

“There’s a slice of cake behind the old leftovers.” Was the next note left for Hakyeon. The paper was clearly ripped from a corner page of a journal, set on Hakyeon’s pillow of his futon. Taekwoon had bought the piece because he happened to have an extra couple thousand won, and there just happened to be a sale on cake that day. Storing it in a place not so easily checked by the guys, he figured it would be a nice reward for their ever hard-working leader.

Except when Hakyeon was to go looking for that piece of cake, he would find an empty plastic container with remnants of frosting and cake crumbs. Hakyeon had been craving sweets the day of the cake incident and he hadn’t let Taekwoon off the hook for that one, reminding him every few days that he still owed him an actual piece of cake and not just an empty container.

Hakyeon had feigned that it was a hurtful gesture, playing such a cruel joke like that, knowing full well that Sanghyuk was the one that had gotten his grubby little maknae hands on it. Taekwoon swore up and down that it hadn’t been a joke and there had actually been food in it; Hakyeon just liked to tease and Taekwoon learned early on that he shouldn’t leave his messages where the other members could find them.

The notes started off sparse, Taekwoon only remembering at whim that he had something to share with Hakyeon, only to forget about writing it and forgetting entirely what it was in the first place. So when they were already a few months into debut, Taekwoon wrapped up in the blankets of his narrow mattress with a beautiful cinematographic Japanese romance film playing, he perked up as one of those whims came.

Pausing the movie, he reached over, seeking out Jaehwan’s doodling pad. Taking one of the thick markers beside it, he flipped it open to one of the pages near the back, scribbling out wide letters before ripping the piece off. This time he hid it beneath one of Hakyeon’s many face creams. He couldn’t remember which one Hakyeon used the most, but he guessed by the amount left inside. Setting it carefully beneath the moisturizer for Hakyeon to find when he’d pick it up, Taekwoon casually went back to his movie, rolling himself more snugly into the blankets as he watched.

“Norwegian Wood.” This note said, in remembrance of a conversation they had a few weeks ago. While resting his head in Taekwoon’s lap, Hakyeon was asking him for any Japanese literature recommendations that had movie adaptations. Murakami was well-known, but at the time Taekwoon drew a blank. He simply shook his head, his fingers sifting through the thick black hair of Hakyeon, dyed for their second round of promotions for Rock Ur Body. Thankfully he remembered now; not only the book title but also writing the note.

They had the following day off so Hakyeon took a trip to the bookstore and found a copy of “Norwegian Wood” tucked back in the foreign section. He spent the rest of the sunny afternoon nestled in the corner of a cafe sipping a strawberry banana smoothie, not even realizing just how long he had been there until one of the staff tapped him on the shoulder and politely let him know they would be closing soon; Hakyeon had fallen asleep with the book open and three-fourths finished on his chest.

The sun had long set and stars were scattered in the dark sky.

With a slightly embarrassed smile Hakyeon apologized, closing the book and hugging it to himself as if it was the most precious belonging he had. He made sure to grab a cafe latte for Taekwoon before leaving to thank him for the recommendation before he finally went back to the dorm.

“Taekwoonie! I’m home!” Hakyeon’s singsong voice rang out through the entire dorm, not caring if the other members were there and heard him. Kicking his shoes off he immediately spotted Taekwoon lounging on the couch, his long body spread end to end, headphones in and watching something on his phone.

Hakyeon shuffled over and tapped him on the head with the book before before tugging one of the buds out. Before Taekwoon could completely sit up and take a swing at him Hakyeon shoved the coffee into his hands, “Here! Thanks for the note.”

The look on Taekwoon’s face was a mix of gratitude and confusion, glad to have the steaming beverage between his hands.

“Been gone all day…” Taekwoon mumbled softly as he brought the cup to his lips, savoring the caffeinated warmth spreading down his throat. He gave a light grunt as Hakyeon lifted his legs off the couch, settling his slender form into the cushions before placing Taekwoon’s legs across his lap.

“Fell asleep at the cafe reading,” Hakyeon laughed, “It’s so good I couldn’t put it down. I’m almost finished.” He flashed Taekwoon a wide smile before flipping to the page he had marked, losing himself in the story once more.

Realizing Hakyeon wasn't moving any time soon, seeing as he had a book and his ankles were crossed as they stretched out onto the floor before him, Taekwoon sighed out slowly and let him be. It's not like he minded, as he could continue going about watching these performances with an extra leg cushion and a warm coffee. It became a small distraction though as Taekwoon would glance past the screen of his phone, listening to the soulful ballad through his earbuds, and watch as Hakyeon flipped to a new page.

By the time Hakyeon was done, Taekwoon had fallen asleep, his phone abandoned on his chest while his hoodie hugged his head. Taekwoon looked content, serene and unguarded as Hakyeon carefully slipped from underneath his legs. He hurried to the bedroom and returned shortly after to lay a blanket atop Taekwoon’s resting form.

When Jaehwan came bustling in, singing trot at the top of his lungs, Hakyeon was quick to jump up and shush him, pointing avidly to the couch and the sleeping beast. Taekwoon wouldn't wake until morning, slightly confused as to why he was curled up on the couch with a blanket on him. The only explanation coming to his head was Hakyeon, a small smile surfacing on his features.

-☆--☆--☆-

“Thanks for the coffee.”

This had been folded between the clothes Hakyeon had sitting on the edge of the sink for when he finished his evening shower, a little late in coming but appreciated nonetheless.

“Work hard today, Hakyeon-ah.”

This one in his shoe, the corner peeking out from beneath Hakyeon’s insole, discovered before going on stage for one of their music show performances.

“Get some good rest tonight, Hakyeonie.”

Found tucked into Hakyeon’s pillowcase after a particularly grueling day of schedules and late night practice.

The notes Hakyeon was receiving over the next few weeks were getting progressively cuter, bolder, admiring the obscure but creative places Taekwoon was hiding them. It got Hakyeon thinking that Taekwoon was settling into this little system Hakyeon had developed. Each note had been collected with the first, Hakyeon reading each one every time he brought his shoebox out to add to the collection before it was stored safely and secretly back in his closet.

Hakyeon continued to vocalize his compliments in multitude and frequency to Taekwoon but began to notice that they were beginning to make Taekwoon uncomfortable, especially since the other members insisted on continuing to tease Taekwoon about any exchange between the pair of them that wasn’t work related. As much as Hakyeon loved seeing that color rise up into Taekwoon’s cheeks and fluster him, he could tell Taekwoon’s patience was wearing thin.

Hakyeon didn’t know why it took him so long to think to start returning the favor, that he should be leaving notes for Taekwoon as well. After he found the post-it stuck to the bottom of a carton of banana milk waiting in the fridge for him, “Your voice sounded really good today”, Hakyeon decided it was time to leave one of his own.

“Taekwoonie, why are you so cute? Ah, my heart can’t stand it! >3<”

A bit over the top, sure, and loaded with aegyo, but that was Hakyeon’s style. Just because he wasn’t using his voice didn’t mean his notes couldn’t carry the same sparkle his personality did.

Wandering into the living room, Hakyeon found the Trey Songz album Taekwoon had but hadn’t had a chance to listen to yet, deciding that would be the perfect place. He could guarantee it would only reach Taekwoon’s eyes as none of them dared to mess with his things, especially not with something as precious as that CD.

-☆--☆--☆-

It actually took Taekwoon a couple of days before he discovered the first note of Hakyeon's. He had been excited to finally listen to the album, hoping to find a new song he could learn on the piano. Seeing the small, bright green post-it attached to the disc, Taekwoon gasped in surprise, almost mistaking it as an accident. He had to stop and think if a fan gave him this album as a gift and planted the message inside. Yet he recognized the distinct handwriting, neat and round, and he could hear the voice paired with it inside his head. There was still a halo of warmth that glowed upon Taekwoon's face but this time it was in private, without an obnoxious Jaehwan sending him kissy faces.

Taekwoon didn't know Hakyeon had his own treasure box of stored notes. But there was something about this first one that made him want to keep it, despite how much he shook his head when glancing at it; leave it to Hakyeon to be overbearingly cute in every form of communication.

Still, Taekwoon searched about the room, deciding on a ------, opening it and carefully setting the note inside.

It was the next morning Taekwoon made sure Hakyeon found a ripped piece of lined paper in his sunglasses case: "Don't leave me notes like that."

As if that one little note was going to stop Hakyeon. It simply made him chuckle as he made sure to store it carefully back in the case for now as he slipped his sunglasses on to fight the glare of the sun coming in through the van windows; it too would be kept with all the others.

They were on their way out of Seoul for a schedule today, a fansign, and while Hakyeon usually occupied the front seat because of his status as leader and the oldest, he had lost it to Sanghyuk over a game of FIFA the night before.

Sanghyuk was milking it for all it was worth, shouting orders at his hyungs with informal speech which earned him some stern scolding from Jaehwan and Wonshik, his targets in the middle seats and closest to him. Hakyeon just laughed at the antics of the younger members, not minding having lost his throne.

He had scrambled into the van after Taekwoon and Hongbin into the back seat, crawling over Hongbin to get in between the two of them and earning a puzzled raised brow and smart- “ah, can’t keep the couple apart” comment from Hongbin who was now passed out with his head lolling back against the seat.

Once things had settled down and the other members had either dozed off or put in their headphones to listen to music, Hakyeon tugged out his phone and began to type on it.

“Did you really not like my note? :’(“

He was putting Taekwoon on the spot, curious to see how he would react and curious to see if he would even answer. Hakyeon hadn’t taken the note as any sort of mean-spirited gesture, knowing how Taekwoon operated. Just in case their gazes happened to meet after the text was read Hakyeon scrunched his brows together, making his eyes as puppy-dog like as he could as he pushed his lips out in mimicry of the emoticon.

With his earbuds in, it took Taekwoon a few moments before he actually lowered his gaze and read the message. The screen still shone and as he lifted his eyes up to Hakyeon, the pout along his lips paired with the eyebrows caused him to immediately grab for the phone. He typed back, music still playing in his ear.

"I'm not cute." Was all he wrote, in reference to why the note disturbed him; Taekwoon wasn't necessarily claiming he disliked it, he just thought it was untruthful.

As Taekwoon handed the device back, this time without glancing at all to Hakyeon's pouting face, he returned to his small retreat of staring out the window. But Hakyeon did think Taekwoon was cute, though actually a much better word would be “handsome”; Jung Taekwoon was strikingly handsome.

Most found Taekwoon’s appearance intimidating at first due to the thin, sharp features of his face, his dark eyes and quiet disposition but that’s exactly what drew Hakyeon to him when they had first met. He was curious about what went on behind that stoic face, what was buried beneath deep in the depths of that introverted soul.

Of course the response Hakyeon got screamed of typical Taekwoon, not one to ever acknowledge his good looks unlike Hakyeon and occasionally Hongbin. Jaehwan was also more than willing to step up as his place as the “visual” of the group. Hakyeon wasn’t deterred though, plenty practiced in dealing with situations like this in the years he had known Taekwoon.

Pressing down on the back arrow on the keyboard, watching the letters disappear from the electric screen, his thumbs went to work typing something else.

“Fine. I’ll make sure to write handsome next time. And if you disagree with me it’ll cost you.”

Cost what Hakyeon didn’t specify, leaving it open to Taekwoon’s own interpretation. For as well as Hakyeon knew Taekwoon, Taekwoon knew Hakyeon equally as well.

The smallest of frowns pulled at Taekwoon’s lips, his own brows furrowing in dismay. He could only imagine Hakyeon with several heads, each one chirping out "handsome" to him. He didn't want to make that a reality, especially since he could also feel the tips of his ears absorbing more heat than they should.

"Fine." Taekwoon responded when the phone was given to him this time.

Taekwoon hesitated though, biting at his pink lower lip. After some extra consideration, he added, "I guess you're the cute one between us." That was satisfying enough, letting that be the last message in this exchange. He did catch the fleeting surprise on Hakyeon's face as he handed the phone back, but he turned his music volume up higher to ignore any furthering verbal comments.

Hakyeon didn’t even care what Taekwoon did anymore, his eyes glued to the screen and the letters that had been typed out so diligently, so thoughtfully. His fingers pressed the power and home buttons simultaneously, a shutter noise sounding as he took a screencap of the message just in case Taekwoon decided to go through and delete his notes after Hakyeon saved it there as well.

Now it was Hakyeon’s turn to feel his face heating, thankful for his dark skin to hinder the color trying to brighten his cheeks. It was this day that Taekwoon decided he could leave an array of messages for Hakyeon. To him, it wasn't a huge game changer--until Taekwoon realized that dishing out compliments to Hakyeon incurred reliving them as well.

-☆--☆--☆-

It all started when Taekwoon stepped out of the shower one day and grabbed blindly for his towel. After drying his skin and hair, wrapping the towel around his waist, he found a sticky note attached to his underwear that he didn't notice when coming into the bathroom: "I hope you used the Fresh Spring soap because that one smells the best! ;)"

Taekwoon nearly had a heart attack.

That was probably the worst one he found, the others more mild as they complimented his choice of song he performed, or how he had a nice outfit that day. Although he accepted each of them and tucked them away safely in his ------, Taekwoon still didn't know why Hakyeon seemed so stuck on leaving him nice messages; it's not like Taekwoon appeared depressed and needed the confidence boosters. But he still kept each one.

Finally, there was a day that Hakyeon clearly looked worn. He had been taking on more tasks as VIXX was becoming more popular. On and On was a huge success compared to their singles before and wiith that came more offers, more schedules and consequently less time for rest.

Taekwoon watched as Hakyeon was dozing off in the waiting room, trying to stay awake but by the way his head tilted down after every several seconds, he wasn't very successful. So Taekwoon found one of the staff members and quietly asked her for a notepad, taking off a corner like always.

The message he scribbled was messy but legible:

"You're a great leader. Don't be too hard on yourself. Please rest when you can and let me know if you need anything."

Taekwoon didn't know where to put it exactly. In fact, Hongbin gave him a questioning stare when he saw Taekwoon wandering around the room, searching for what looked like nothing in particular; Taekwoon couldn't find Hakyeon's bag.

Giving up, he took a seat carefully beside Hakyeon, who was still nodding off. But as soon as he settled into the couch cushion, Hakyeon’s head fell onto Taekwoon’s shoulder. Taekwoon tensed as he felt a rock jump into his throat. A blush coated his features as the piece of ripped paper crumpled into his closed fist.

When Hakyeon’s head hit the hard bone of Taekwoon’s shoulder it startled him awake, eyes snapping open but he was so tired that attempting to lift his head felt like a ton of bricks so he just left it where it was for now.

“Taekwoonie?” Hakyeon glanced up from the corners of his eyes and was able to see that yes, it was indeed Taekwoon’s personal space he had invaded. But Taekwoon had made the choice to sit next to him, so technically Taekwoon had made the first strike. It also looked like Taekwoon’s face was a shade pinker.

“I wasn’t sleeping you know, I was just-” Hakyeon yawned, mouth gaping open as he stretched his arms out in front of him following a groan, “I was just resting my eyes.” Eyes he rubbed as he finally lifted his head; it hadn’t been his turn for makeup yet so it was still a safe gesture. His gaze traveled down to notice Taekwoon’s hands were balled in tense fists, curiosity piquing as he saw a sliver of yellow sticking out between his fingers.

A note?

“Hmm, what’s this?” Hakyeon managed to pry Taekwoon’s fingers apart, fighting with the little bit of resistance he put up--not much since Taekwoon didn’t want to cause a scene in front of the members and staff. Hakyeon plucked the note free and carefully uncurled it, setting it on his leg to smooth out the wrinkles. His eyes darted from side to side as he read the scribbled words.

“Taekwoon…”

Hakyeon felt his heart swelling in his chest, so much so that it threatened to burst like a punctured water balloon. He was a rather emotional individual and this note was so touching that Hakyeon could feel wetness prickling the corners of his eyes. He never wanted to appear weak or helpless, putting up whatever sort of front he needed to, but Taekwoon had seen right through it.

Now wasn’t the proper place for tears so Hakyeon refolded the note delicately and slipped it into his backpack which was stuffed beside him almost buried in the cushions of the couch. Taekwoon watched as the note disappeared within the bag. He had been observing through a steady gaze the reaction fleeting over Hakyeon’s darker features.

Hakyeon was very easy to read, most of the time the leader exuding a warm and positive spirit despite critical commentary. But he saw the smallest of signals alluding to something deeper. Like now, how Hakyeon was clearly touched by his embarrassingly personal note.

Skirting his eyes away, Taekwoon kept silent; his note relayed his feelings already. He didn't need to mention the way his heart pitter-pattered in his chest.

Hakyeon thought about the statement. What did he need? A vacation, a full night’s sleep, time to work on his own choreography, another afternoon in a cafe, an endless supply of banana milk, someone to cuddle up with on a cold night and share all the worries plaguing his mind…

“I could use a pillow.” It was best to just focus on the now.

After Hakyeon’s arms extended over his head they wrapped around Taekwoon’s waist as he leaned his body over, settling his head against the toned yet soft muscles of Taekwoon’s thigh. He was about to shut his eyes and drift off for another few minutes of sleep when he suddenly felt a painful jab to his ribcage.

“Ah!” Hakyeon’s body curled inwards in reaction, sitting up once again and seeing Hongbin flashing that dimpled grin at him, “It’s your turn for makeup, hyung.”

Taekwoon silently let Hakyeon scramble away, his heart jolting only once when Hakyeon used his thigh for leverage to stand. He kept his gaze down, his hair styled back not doing much to hide his eyes.

What had caught Taekwoon off guard was the way he had been staring at Hakyeon in his lap. He could brush it off as just assessing the other's state, the faint puffiness of Hakyeon’s tired eyes, but he knew very well that wasn't the case. Before Taekwoon explored exactly where his thoughts wanted to linger, he blocked it off. In the end, he just glanced across the room at Hakyeon sitting in the stylist's chair, hoping he wouldn't keep his needs so bottled up.

-☆--☆--☆-

A few months had passed. Their upcoming schedules and promotions had left all of them feeling rather tired. As spring ended and summer was beginning, the weather was still fickle. One day it was warm like it should be in early May, while the next it would be cold as if they were back in March.

Taekwoon was going through his ------, idly passing the time. At least that's what he told himself as he started reading through the notes again. A smile broke across his lips, rereading a post-it Hakyeon had left him one day after he already left Taekwoon a note earlier about how he looked especially handsome that day. The first note Taekwoon brushed off, almost tossing it in the trash. However, something told him to hold onto it so he did.

The second one had been attached to one of those health drinks with lots of vitamin supplements that Hakyeon was on a craze with. He claimed the days he didn't drink it he felt lethargic; that was code for making Sanghyuk do everything for him: "You didn't blush when I called you handsome, you must be getting sick. Keke. Take care of yourself!"

That day, Taekwoon had shot Hakyeon a threatening glare the moment he saw him again. Remembering this, Taekwoon chuckled to himself as he picked up the next note. This one really had him wishing Hakyeon would stop: "I heard someone from Nine Muses really likes you. Should I contact her for you?" In which Taekwoon actually responded verbally, an unmistakable, "No!"

It's not to say he hadn't written his own fair share of secret messages to Hakyeon. He wasn't so creative, leaving them in the same easy spots. The only change was the boldness in them--or at least the kindness. Taekwoon even scribbled compliments now. From telling Hakyeon, "I like your hair" to "Your pictures came out handsome". They all had this indirect way of admiration.

In fact, Taekwoon nearly had a heart attack once when he saw Sanghyuk trying to sneak a banana milk that had one of these signature notes attatched to the bottom of it. He yelped "Stop!" so uncharacteristically loud that the youngest jumped and screamed himself. The day another member discovered his notes for Hakyeon would be the day Taekwoon died--no, it would be after that at his funeral, his obituary stating, "Died from embarrassment."

As Taekwoon tucked his ------ away, done with passing time, he looked at his watch to see they would be leaving soon for rehearsal.

The ride to the broadcasting station was uneventful, Hakyeon back in his place in front and Taekwoon tucked into the back beside a slumbering Wonshik. The rapper was snoring loud enough to make any sort of attempt at conversation pointless.

Hakyeon was spinning his phone absentmindedly between his hands in his lap, occasionally glancing back at Taekwoon through the rearview mirror; it was a mystery to him how Taekwoon never seemed to look as exhausted as the rest of them. He was tempted to send Taekwoon a little message via text but had begun to treasure the pink color he could bring forth to Taekwoon’s cheeks, wanting to keep that special and private just for himself.

-☆--☆--☆-

They finished their dry runs with no complications, affording them extra time to sit around their dressing room and catch up on sleep after pestering their managers to go and get them some coffee and snacks.

Sanghyuk and Hongbin took turns trying to beat each other at some game on the iPad, Jaehwan was warming up his vocals more in the corner, and Wonshik was seated next to Hakyeon on the couch trying to hash out an ending for the song he was working on. Taekwoon had left to go use the restroom.

Hakyeon took the opportunity to ask the rapper for a spare piece of paper, ignoring the questioning look he got in response. After Wonshik denied having a spare pen, Hakyeon hopped up from the couch and used one of the eyeliner pencils to scribble on the paper--he would worry about the wrath of the coordi-noonas later.

“Taekwoonie! Your voice is so magical, you should sing me a lulla-”

He wasn’t given a chance to finish as the paper was suddenly forced out from beneath his hold, the eyeliner leaving an ugly black streak across the unfinished note.

“Oooooh! Hyung! What is this!?” Sanghyuk’s voice bubbled with excitement as he hopped back to Hongbin’s side, the one who had convinced him that they should see what secret thing Hakyeon was up to.

Hongbin immediately broke into a high-pitched, girlish voice as he read the message out loud, Jaehwan finished and leaning on Hongbin as he laughed along with the pair of maknaes.

“You’re all dead!” Hakyeon yelled, attempting to sound threatening but he was just met with more giggles.

“Why do you keep trying to be so secretive, Hakyeonie-hyung? We know all about the notes Taekwoonie-hyung leaves you.”

The knowing grin on Jaehwan’s smug face made Hakyeon freeze, feeling the heat rising up into his cheeks and across his nose. And just in case Hakyeon didn’t believe him, the vocalist decided to do a musical rendition as he recited a few of the messages.

“Taekwoon-hyung isn’t very good at hiding things.” Wonshik chipped in as well, not looking up from his notebook but still displaying a smile from his lips.

Hakyeon was at a loss, “How long have you-?”

Sanghyuk walked over and patted Hakyeon on the shoulder before putting the note back into his hands, “That doesn’t matter, hyung. What matters is that clearly you and Taekwoon-hyung need to spend some alone time together.”

Hongbin came over as well, poking Hakyeon playfully in the side, “Yeah, before we all get sick from reading those cheesy messages!”

Hakyeon was sure his face was an entire shade darker now, a feat considering the already bronze shade of his skin.

“But...how?” There was no sense in arguing with the younger members; they were annoyingly stubborn when they had their minds set on something. And Hakyeon could sense that they knew that he wanted this as much as they did.

“All you have to do is just pretend you’re not feeling well when we go to practice tonight. We’ve already figured out a way to make Taekwoon-hyung look after you.”

Nothing more could be said as Taekwoon returned, quirking a brow at the younger members surrounding Hakyeon but just passed it off as their usual harassment of him. He settled down in one of the make-up chairs and put in his music, waiting for the coffee to come.

When Hakyeon handed Taekwoon his latte after the managers had returned, he had slipped the note, now finished with the eyeliner streak disguised as a crude looking heart, slipped beneath the cup sleeve. And just as Hakyeon wished and to Taekwoon's chagrin, as soon as Taekwoon read the paper slipping from his coffee, he blushed.

-☆--☆--☆-

That night, the unsuspecting Taekwoon had a plastic bag in hand, trekking home with the supplies. He was the victim of an unfair game of rock, paper, scissors, earning the punishment of having to nurture a sick leader. Although Takewoon could see how exhausted Hakyeon was, he didn't think Hakyeon would fall under the spell of chills and aches so quickly; the other members decided they would practice for their approaching comeback, while the two eldest remained at home.

Of course this was not Taekwoon's ideal night of rest--nor his ideal pseudo-date with Hakyeon, pseudo being the key word for Taekwoon had never imagined any type of real date with Hakyeon.

So as Taekwoon stumbled back into the dorm with a feeble sigh, toeing his shoes off and heading to the room to tend to Hakyeon, he carried no suspicion at all that this was a set up. At least not until he pushed open the bedroom door, the sight causing him to drop the bag with cough medicine, vapor rub, throat lozenges, tea bags and very promising looking red ginger packets.

Hakyeon’s futon looked like a furniture store had dropped a bedding bomb, an explosion of pillows and blankets of all shapes and sizes; he had raided the other members’ rooms for more supplies as well. There were also two mugs sitting beside the bed, steam still swirling from the hot contents inside, as well as a plate of kimbap which Hakyeon had made himself.

Hakyeon’s laptop was perched on the corner of the bed, a DVD title page flashing “My Neighbor Totoro” on the screen. Ever since he had finished Norwegian Wood he had thought it would be nice to watch a fun Japanese movie with Taekwoon.

Hakyeon was beating lightly on some of the pillows with his hands, wanting to fluff them up to their maximum comfortability. The one in his hands fell when he heard the various sounding thuds on the floor, “Oh! Taekwoon!”

He hadn’t expected him quite so soon, and judging from the variety of medicines on the floor the younger members had told Taekwoon of his “illness”; Hakyeon hoped he wouldn’t be angry.

The imagery looked so fake, like it was taken frame by frame out of a terribly but endearingly cheesy romantic movie. Never had Taekwoon seen the room so appealing and cozy. Leaving the bag forgotten on the floor, since it obviously didn't matter anymore, he slowly stepped forward as if any sudden movement would make all of this disappear.

“The...other members…” Hakyeon felt so self-conscious, so nervous, like suddenly all this seemed like a stupid idea. The confidence and teasing nature he easily shone with when around others had vanished now that he was actually alone with Taekwoon. He wanted to kill his dongsaengs for real this time. The far too familiar feeling of a blush painting his cheeks arose again, unable to meet Taekwoon’s gaze.

“This was all their idea.” Great, now it sounded like Hakyeon hadn’t wanted to do this at all, like he hadn’t been thinking about doing this for months now.

Indeed, it could be interpreted that way, yet Taekwoon knew Hakyeon well enough to understand it was his rare default of shyness coming through. He always found this side of Hakyeon especially cute, but he still continued to stare, waiting for further explaining.

“I thought it would be nice to have some time to ourselves.” Hakyeon recovered, glancing up to try and judge Taekwoon’s expression but it remained as stoic as ever.

“To...talk and stuff...with the notes and all.” Hakyeon continued, his voice soft, hesitant, unsure. Maybe he had misread this entire situation and the little hidden messages had only been a game for Taekwoon. Surely Taekwoon couldn’t have been as pathetic as him to have kept every last one stuffed way in some old shoebox beneath a pile of dirty clothes in a closet.

Taekwoon's hand instinctively went to his back pocket, where he had his wallet. Tucked inside the leather accessory was the whole collection of his notes from Hakyeon. At this point they were spilling out in an array of bright colored post-its, making it thicker than necessary. The younger members told him to throw away the "trash", but Taekwoon would always quietly refuse, glaring mildly at their suggestion.

Now as he along the protruding contour of the wallet, Taekwoon was reminded of how many unspoken words had been shared between them. What would he even be able to say to Hakyeon face to face?

Carefully lowering himself onto the futon while slipping the wallet out--it had grown uncomfortable to sit on these days--Taekwoon reached for one of the steaming mugs, "A latte?" He asked, guessing Hakyeon had used his fan-given espresso machine.

The next thing Taekwoon reached for was the food, plopping two then a third piece of kimbap right into his mouth, pale cheeks spanning out to accommodate them. It was easier to focus on food and a drink than to think about the impending conversation. That in itself had Taekwoon wracked in all kinds of nerves.

“Ah, hot chocolate actually.” Hakyeon corrected, feeling like he had screwed up already. The fact that Taekwoon hadn’t even acknowledged anything he said carved a pit into Hakyeon’s gut. Maybe it was better not to make this such a big deal?

Hakyeon wrapped his hands around the warm mug for himself, having sampled the kimbap as he was making it so his appetite was sated for now. He blew across the surface of the hot beverage before he took a sip, eyes flickering over to the wallet now resting between them. He didn’t say anything, not now, instead sliding up against Taekwoon to rest against his large frame.

His heart was drumming so loudly in his chest it would be a miracle if Taekwoon couldn’t hear it. But Hakyeon could hear the slightly rushed beating of Taekwoon’s heart as well, his head resting on his chest. He only heard a couple thumps of the organ though before he pulled away; Hakyeon was usually bold with his affections but the circumstances were different this time. He didn’t want to scare Taekwoon off. Yet iit felt nice for Hakyeon to know he wasn’t the only one so nervous about this but, what was he supposed to say?

“I’m really glad we can do this. I’ve...been wanting to do this for awhile.”

Hakyeon had to be the one to break the ice, try and ease Taekwoon’s nerves by opening up himself. For as loud and boisterous as Hakyeon was, and for how much he liked talking about himself, Hakyeon wasn’t fond of talking about this side of himself.

Taekwoon stayed quiet, the words resonating in his ears as he wanted to close up. If he had a shell he would just draw back into it and remain hidden. He wasn't sure if this was supposed to be confession time, but for it to be suddenly on him like this, he had to search longer for the words.

“I really needed...this.” Hakyeon spoke more, recalling Taekwoon’s message about letting him know if he needed anything.

Taekwoon's lips parted, about to say something to that. What this was, he wasn't quite sure. It could be rest away from the guys. It could be snacks and hot chocolate. It could be...time with Taekwoon. Taekwoon gulped at the last thought, blinking downwards as he tried hard not to clam up.

Setting down the hot chocolate after taking a small sip to clear up a passage in his throat, Taekwoon nodded to the movie, "Are we gonna watch it?" Positioning himself to lay out on his stomach on the pillows so nicely fluffed and propped, he waited for Hakyeon to press play. Actually it was more of him waiting for Hakyeon to lay beside him, Taekwoon resting his cheeks on his overlapping hands while he locked his gaze on the screen.

Hakyeon nodded, reaching over to press the play button before stretching his body out next to Taekwoon’s. He made sure to keep a small blanket barrier between them. As welcoming and warm as Taekwoon’s broad body looked, Hakyeon’s fear of making Taekwoon uncomfortable overrode his strong desire to curl up against him. Hakyeon tucked one of his pillows between his arms, letting his chin sink into the soft material as he also fixed his eyes on the movie.

Taekwoon’s heart drummed as he kept thinking of what he wanted to say to Hakyeon, beyond the safety of handwritten messages. Occasionally Hakyeon would laugh, when appropriate, or make a remark about how the young girl and Totoro were like the pair of them, Taekwoon’s size almost dwarfing Hakyeon’s own.

When Hakyeon happened to glance back to see if Taekwoon was enjoying the movie, he caught a small smile quirking the corners of Taekwoon’s lips. Hakyeon’s heart gave a small jolt and he quickly returned his focus to the movie, trying to ignore the almost painful urge he had to discover what those thin lips would feel like against his own.

Thinking he felt eyes on him, by the time Taekwoon looked at Hakyeon, he was already staring back at the screen. The colorful glows from the vibrant movie played along those darker features, leaving him cast in warmth and different pastel hues. Hakyeon looked…

"Beautiful. You look really beautiful, Hakyeon."

“You look really beautiful, Hakyeon.”

Hakyeon swore his mind was playing tricks on him again, creating these ridiculous fantasies that he played out in his head. Like last week when he was cleaning up after practice as usual and envisioned Taekwoon waiting for him again after the other members had left. But instead of walking him back Taekwoon had slipped his arms around Hakyeon’s waist, Hakyeon’s arms around his neck, just swaying with him in the peaceful aftermath of a hard practice.

Taekwoon's gaze was steady, and despite the rampant protest his heart decided to go on, he felt absolutely confident in his choice of soft-spoken words. It wasn't Hakyeon’s hair that looked good or Hakyeon’s clothing that was styled well. It was Cha Hakyeon himself that caught Taekwoon's attention. It had always been Hakyeon.

Hakyeon’s face became so hot he could actually feel the warmth permeating from his skin onto his arms beneath his chin.

“Hey, you didn’t need to use a note this time!” Hakyeon’s gut instinct was to make a joke, to try and avoid acknowledging the way those words made his heart practically leap out of his chest and the goosebumps crawling along his skin.

He met Taekwoon’s gaze with a soft smile, noting there was something different in the way Taekwoon was looking at him now but he couldn’t acknowledge that either. It was a look and words he had only dreamed of seeing but now that it was a reality Hakyeon was terrified. Terrified of the implications, terrified of being this vulnerable with someone else, terrified that now he could really get hurt.

“But I think beautiful is a bit strong. I’m just cute, remember?” The corners of Hakyeon’s eyes crinkled as he stretched his smile wider to try and mask the fear. As scared as Hakyeon was inside his head though he felt a surge of boldness, confidence budding from the words that scared him at the same time. Hakyeon leaned in, his gaze dropping to fixate on Taekwoon’s lips, finally the moment he had been waiting for presenting itself as such a perfect chance he couldn’t waste it.

Taekwoon closed his eyes, heart palpitating so heavily it ached the moment Hakyeon moved. He was hiding from the sight mostly, also too bound by his fears. This couldn't possibly be happening but the excitement rippling through his limbs, freezing him up, proved that that it was.

Hakyeon’s lips pressed to Taekwoon’s cheek, a brief grazing of lips against soft skin.

Disappointment. Really, Taekwoon should have been pleased by how tender and careful Hakyeon was in such a defining moment, but he couldn't ignore the disappointment. As his eyes fluttered open, Hakyeon already looking away, there was a set resolution. Taekwoon already made up his mind.

“We can talk later, let’s just enjoy the movie.” Hakyeon needed to focus on the movie so he could be distracted from the sick feeling of regret he felt as heavy as a cement block already beginning to settle in his stomach.

Taekwoon shook his head, a subtle movement barely noticeable to the untrained eye. He reached forward and closed the laptop, right in the middle of a scene.

“Hey! That was a good part!”

That grabbed Hakyeon's gaze and as soon as Hakyeon landed on his eyes on him, Taekwoon swept in. The action was unceremonious, lacking the grace that would be preferred for a first kiss. However, that was all forgone when the reality sunk in.

Hakyeon was frozen with disbelief as Taekwoon’s mouth moved against his, certain he had stopped breathing entirely as well. Taekwoon's parted lips were against his, Hakyeon’s heart by now somewhere in the depths of his throat. Their noses were slightly nudged together until Taekwoon decided to tilt his head, the small action causing their lips to slide and Hakyeon’s heart jumped again.

Kissing while on their stomachs wasn’t the most ideal but Hakyeon didn’t want to break the connection he had so longed for. One hand cupped Taekwoon’s face, his dark skin contrasted against Taekwoon’s pale cheek, as he pressed back into the kiss, balancing himself on his free forearm.

It couldn’t be considered healthy how quickly Hakyeon’s heart was racing, or the spike he felt in his temperature; at least in his mind, his body felt like it was on fire. Taekwoon could feel that heat emanating from the contact of his lips, Hakyeon exceedingly warm. Hakyeon’s lips were soft and full, thanks to the copious amount of lip balm Hakyeon used. Taekwoon felt Hakyeon's lips starting to find their ground, slowly brushing against his now with more authority.

Taekwoon tasted sweet, credit likely given to the hot cocoa but there was an underlying taste that Hakyeon knew was entirely Taekwoon’s own; he could see this quickly becoming his obsession, needing this flavor more than caffeine to help him get through each day. And the best part was that kisses were free.

Hakyeon’s teeth grazed along the plump flesh of Taekwoon’s lower lip, unable to help himself, unable to pull away even though it felt like all the air had been from his lungs by the burning need of their kiss.

Letting the kiss linger a little longer, finding it more difficult to pull away, Taekwoon was the first to end it. A shaky exhale left him, his eyes finally opening as he was met with the view of Hakyeon. His flushed tan skin and his pretty round lips--it was as breathtaking as the kiss.

Over a year of scattered notes surmounted to this.

Taekwoon started off with the intention of just relaying simple messages, ones to inform Hakyeon with words too bothersome to verbalize. They progressed into his indirect compliments, harmless scribbles meant to just encourage Hakyeon and make him feel good despite the harsh industry. And now here Taekwoon was, discovering his feelings developed through their exchanges. When Taekwoon thought of what new nice note he could write to Hakyeon, he realized it all boiled down to him thinking Hakyeon was stunning. His personality and appearance alike captured his attention and granted his commentary on it.

It was hard for Hakyeon to believe that it had taken more than a year for this to formulate, having realized his feelings for Taekwoon long before their written exchanges had even began. His feelings were easy enough to disguise given the nature of his personality. Hakyeon had accepted how things were between the two of them, accepting that nothing could ever happen, but that first scribbled “thank you” had given him hope, and now here they were.

"I like you, Hakyeon," Taekwoon said, not shy about his feelings now that he knew them well. Of course his features still tinged with pink, but it was due to all of the blood flow coursing through his entire body.

“Is that so? Is that why you kissed me?” Hakyeon let out a short burst of laughter when he was finally able to catch his breath, quickly covering his mouth to silence the noise; he wasn’t laughing at Taekwoon, “I’m sorry. I’m just happy, really happy.”

How could he not be? Taekwoon was here with him sharing that he felt the same way, even if Hakyeon had never voiced his own feelings before. If Hakyeon’s words weren’t enough there was a giant smile stretched across his face as well when he dropped his hand, unable to pull his eyes off of Taekwoon and his especially rosy hued cheeks, “I don’t care what you think, you’re adorable, Taekwoonie.”

As if he didn't stare enough from Hakyeon's obvious statements that were more playful than Taekwoon would've liked in this moment, he sighed quietly in slight exasperation. There he was, wishing he had a note to stick right to Hakyeon's forehead saying, "Don't Speak to Me, I'm in Trouble".

Hakyeon pressed another kiss to Taekwoon’s cheek, this one firmer than the first had been, “And I like you too.” Hakyeon then untangled himself from the mess of blankets and scurried over to his closet.

Well, there went Taekwoon's disgruntled face. This time he blushed deeper and tucked his face away, his lips tingling as they replayed the kiss that just transpired seconds ago.

Gym clothes were thrown askew onto the floor as Hakyeon dug out the shoebox, hurrying back to Taekwoon as if he was afraid if he took too long Taekwoon would disappear.

“Sit up.” Hakyeon commanded gently, settling himself between Taekwoon’s legs once he was situated. He leaned back against Taekwoon, butterflies in his stomach as he felt Taekwoon’s still fluttering heartbeat against his back mimicking his own. Hakyeon placed the shoebox in his own lap, putting the lid aside as he carefully traced his fingers over the colorful assortment of paper in the almost full box.

Taekwoon automatically knew what those were. Most of them were tattered and ripped from different pages, for Taekwoon was too inconvenienced to search for a nice pad of post-it's like Hakyeon always managed to do.

“I kept every single one of them,” Hakyeon spoke softly, as if the volume of his voice would damage the precious collection, his hidden treasures. To Hakyeon, each one was like a piece of the puzzle that was Taekwoon, unable to make anything whole until he had collected every one: one for Taekwoon’s blush, one for that twinkle of happiness in Taekwoon’s eyes, one for that beautiful voice he still wanted to sing him a melody, one for the shy facade that had slowly faded away.

Each tiny piece that had been shared little by little until Hakyeon had every one he needed to complete the puzzle. And now that it was completed it was more beautiful than any of those cliche sunsets or landscapes on the boxes.

It took Taekwoon an extra moment to garner his lost composure. Outwardly he just looked a little dazed, dark eyes staring astutely at the open box; inside he was all unraveling and gaping open. Hakyeon truly cherished his words. Even the more flippant ones like: "Stop saying silly things".

A smile cracked on Taekwoon’s features, an arm shooting up to hide it. There was even a distinct chortle sounding out.

“Ah! Taekwoonie!” The sudden sound had startled Hakyeon. He hadn’t been expecting a reaction like that but it delighted him, smiling even wider if it were at all possible. Then finally, vocalized aloud and not written on a scrap piece of paper, Taekwoon listened to his own voice carry through the air between them, "You're cute."

The color on Hakyeon’s cheeks darkened now as he brought his hands up to try and conceal the obvious difference, “Taekwoonie, you’re embarrassing me.” He whined playfully.

Taekwoon lifted his head from his shelter, his smile gone from his lips but still residing in his eyes. Then he started looking about the blankets for his wallet he displaced. When he found it, he gingerly unfolded it and then pulled it open, though there were already visible bent edges of paper.

Inside was his stash of treasures from Hakyeon; they were in no order of course, all just stuffed inside to make it all fit. He didn't know what else to do other than show Hakyeon he had done the same over the past year from the very first note.

“You kept them all?” The tone in Hakyeon’s voice was of genuine surprise. Taekwoon did have a soft side to him the members didn’t get to see often and Hakyeon had had hunches that deep, deep down Taekwoon could be romantic and sweet if he wanted. Hakyeon had thought, hoped, that Taekwoon might have kept one or two of the messages but certainly not every single one. Let alone carrying them with him everywhere.

Gently taking the wallet from Taekwoon and setting it off to the side with his box, Hakyeon shifted so they were now face to face. His brown eyes were still shining with the joy he felt surging through every fiber of his body. He could have sat there and just looked at Taekwoon forever, admiring every curve of his jaw, the rise of his cheeks, the soft style of his hair, the smile in Taekwoon’s eyes that was just for him.

Hakyeon reached forward and secured his arms around Taekwoon’s neck, nuzzling his face into the dip where Taekwoon’s neck and shoulder connected, “Thank you, for everything.”

There was no way Hakyeon could ever properly voice how grateful he was for Taekwoon, for the words both written and spoken, for the strength he provided Hakyeon without even knowing, for his presence.

Taekwoon simply nodded for he didn't know what else to say, too shy already from having already shared so much. He felt like he didn't deserve much of a thanks for he barely did anything compared to the way Hakyeon dedicated himself day in and day out for them.

“We can finish the movie next time. I really just want to talk...if that’s okay…” Hakyeon’s breath trailed feather-light over Taekwoon’s skin, lifting his head just enough to be able to peek up at him while waiting for an answer.

Next time. Hakyeon would pray every night if he had to that there would be a next time.

Taekwoon gazed a bit longer before he agreed. He carefully placed the laptop on the floor before he less carefully grabbed Hakyeon and pulled him against him. Like that, wrapped up in each other's arms, they turned and scooted until they were laying down. Taekwoon cradled Hakyeon's head against his chest, absorbing his warmth and falling into the rhythm of his breathing.

When Hakyeon started speaking, Taekwoon acknowledged his words with the smallest of nods or the tiniest exhales of amusement.

Hakyeon talked about anything and everything that came to mind, whether it was a concern he had with one of those notes he couldn’t quite hit in their song or a funny story from the other day involving Jaehwan and a missing towel.

Being able to run his hands through Hakyeon’s hair like this was soothing, permeating to the deepest parts of Taekwoon and relaxing him. Though Taekwoon’s heart still pounded, steady drums that rippled through his whole being.

It wasn’t long before Hakyeon’s eyelids began to grow heavy; Taekwoon’s slender fingers combing through his hair was such a wonderful sensation and he felt more relaxed than he had since...he couldn’t recall when. He wouldn’t last much longer at this rate. Hakyeon had his arms wrapped around Taekwoon’s waist, his fingers tracing nonsensical patterns along the fabric of his shirt.

As Hakyeon began to quiet down, Taekwoon his lips and then hesitated. Only for a moment though before he opened his vocal chords and let a soft melody spill out. It started off without any coherent words, but finally transitioned into words. He was quietly singing a lullaby, the lyrics not necessarily romantic, but about keeping someone close.

Hakyeon’s hands only stilled when he heard the quiet notes, then words coming from Taekwoon’s lips. He tilted his head back to look up at Taekwoon but Taekwoon had his eyes closed, absorbed in the melody he was singing for him.

“You remembered…” Hakyeon whispered before nuzzling the crook of Taekwoon’s neck, leaving a trail of soft kisses along his Adam’s apple that dipped with each note of the song. Hakyeon really wanted to kiss his lips but he didn’t want to disturb the beautiful melody. This was one treasure that Hakyeon didn’t have to worry about hiding, no one was able to enter his mind but him and it would be his to treasure forever.

-☆--☆--☆-

“What do you think they’re doing?” Sanghyuk spoke loudly as the other members clomped noisily into the dorm a couple hours later, wanting to make their presence known just in case something was going on.

“It’s awfully quiet,” Jaehwan replied, “Maybe we should check to make sure they didn’t end up killing each other instead?”

The four youngest tiptoed over to the bedroom, their heads stacking one above the other as they peeked inside.

They all broke into smiles at the sight of Hakyeon, their obnoxiously loud but lovable leader, curled up and sleeping in the arms of the sometimes scary Taekwoon, who looked as tame as a little kitten when sleeping.

It was Hongbin who chimed in as Wonshik shooed them away and shut the door, "Are we ever going to tell them them we left some of the notes?"

"Nah," Wonshik shook his head with an amused smirk. "I don't want Taekwoon-hyung to kill us if he knew we left the note about his being cute."

a/n: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! What would V-Day be without some Neo fluff? ^-^ We really hope you guys like it (we died a lot writing it omg). We've also been getting some feedback from a friend about our writing so we can improve in areas we are lacking. You'll notice this story is (hopfully) laid out more like a fic and less like a blocky chunk of roleplay, like our lat Neo was. Please let us know what you think!